Kristi answered in English. “Be careful, Daddy, or you’ll make me cry.”
“Before you go down the aisle, your mother and I wanted you to have this.” He held out a long, narrow box.
She opened it to find a white gold chain with a pear-shaped solitaire diamond. “Oh! Thank you! I love it. It’s beautiful. It matches my engagement ring.”
She kissed her father’s cheek.
He grinned. “For good luck.”
Samantha took the necklace and put in on Kristi. “That’s perfect.”
Then it was time to go.
She and Malik had decided to get married outdoors at a resort in the mountains west of Denver. The wedding itself would take place in an amphitheater outside that had unparalleled views of the white-capped high peaks, while the reception would take place in the main hall of this same building afterward.
Kristi walked out of the bride’s dressing room to find Jade and Caitlyn waiting for her, looking adorable in their little gold gowns. “Do you remember what to do?”
They nodded, visibly excited to be part of the ceremony.
“You look so pretty,” Jade said.
“You two look like fairy princesses.” Kristi gave each little girl a kiss on the cheek. “Are you ready?”
They went downstairs as a group and walked to the edge of the amphitheater, keeping out of sight until the music began—Pachelbel’s Canon in D.
Little Jade and Caitlyn walked down the aisle first, tossing red flower petals willy-nilly and glancing back at Kristi.
She blew them a kiss.
Next went Gabriela, then Elizabeth, and then Samantha.
At last, Kristi’s father offered her his arm. “You are marrying a good man.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I was raised by a good man, too.”
They stepped off and came into view of the altar.
Kristi’s breath caught at the sight of Malik, standing, tall and proud, in his Army Ranger dress uniform, Dylan, Thor, and Lev beside him. God, she loved him. She loved him so much she thought her heart might burst.
Heads turned, a murmur sweeping through the crowd, people rising to their feet as she and her father headed down the aisle, but Kristi was aware only of Malik.
He took her hand from her father, raised it to his lips, the love in his eyes making her heart melt. “God, you look beautiful—andhot.”
From there it was a blur. Somehow, she said her vows, and Malik said his. They slipped rings onto one another’s fingers—rings presented with great solemnity by Kamran and Cade.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss… Oh, my!”
They’d beaten the minister to it, Malik drawing her against him, lifting her off his feet, kissing her deep and long and slow.
Cheers and whistles from the Cobra guys brought them back, the two of them laughing along with the minister and their guests as they made their way back up the aisle with the wedding party.
Inside the reception hall, their guests divided into three groups—their Cobra coworkers, Kristi’s family, and Malik’s family.
Malik chuckled. “Notice how quiet your folks are, standing politely.”
She had noticed. “Yours looks like they’re getting ready to cut loose. Your grandma has a glass of champagne in her hand and is talking with the DJ.”
“This is going to be an interesting reception.”